Disposable brush-like cleaning utensils, particularly intended for dental hygiene purposes

ABSTRACT

A brush-like plastic cleaning utensil having a handle portion and brush portion moulded in one piece, wherein said handle portion comprises at least two pair of longitudinally extending ribs, longitudinally extending hinge means holding the ribs in each pair together, hinge means connecting said pairs of ribs at adjacent end surfaces of said ribs with each of said hinges means being integral with the ribs, and the brush portion comprising laterally outwardly extending bristle-like projections at the end of each one of said ribs in one of said pair so that the pairs of ribs can be brought into abutment with each other in a folded position by rotation about the hinge means at the adjacent end surfaces of the ribs and the ribs in each pair in the extended position can be brought into abutment by rotation about the longitudinally extending hinge means.

United States Patent Erkers 1 Dec. 26,1972

[54] DISPOSABLE BRUSH-LIKE CLEANING UTENSILS, PARTICULARLY INTENDED FOR DENTAL HYGIENE PURPOSES [72] Inventor: Nils Arne Erkers, Styckjunkaregatan 7, 114 34 Stockholm, Sweden [22] Filed: Oct. 23, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 83,531

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 24, 1969 Sweden ..l4607/69 [52] U.S. Cl. ..15/167 R, 15/187, 15/203, 132/142 [51] Int. Cl. ..A46b 15/00 [58] Field of Search ..15/l86,185,187,188, 201, 15/203, 226; 132/129, 132, 133, 134, 135,

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 577,306 6/1924 France ..l32/l42 222,200 9/1924 Great Britain ..132/135 Primary Examiner-Peter Feldman Attorney-John Lezdey [57] ABSTRACT A brush-like plastic cleaning utensil having a handle portion and brush portion moulded in one piece, wherein said handle portion comprises at least two pair of longitudinally extending ribs, longitudinally extending hinge means holding the ribs in each pair together, hinge means connecting said pairs of ribs at adjacent end surfaces of said .ribs with each of said hinges means being integral with the ribs, and the brush portion comprising laterally outwardly extending bristle-like projections at the end of each one of said ribs in one of said pair so that the pairs of ribs can be brought into abutment with each other in a folded position by rotation about the hinge means at the adjacent end surfaces of the ribs and the ribs in each pair in the extended position can be brought into abutment by rotation about the longitudinally extending hinge means.

6 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEDnmze m2 SHEET 2 [IF 2 "YII HIIIHTTmm Fig. 11

Fig. 13

DISPOSABLE BRUSH-LIKE CLEANING UTENSILS,

PARTICULARLY INTENDED FOR DENTAL HYGIENE PURPOSES BACKGROUND, SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to disposable brushlike cleaning utensils, particularly intended for dental hygiene purposes. Known utensils of this type are generally in the form of a simplified toothbrush, the manufacture of which is encumbered with a large number of disadvantages. One such disadvantage is that the brush must be moulded in moulds in which each bristle is formed in conically tapering mould cavi ties. Manufacture is therefore costly and time consuming and the practical result obtained is not always satisfactory. Moreover, such toothbrushes are difiicult to enclose in small packages suited, for example, for vending machines. In order to be able to pack a toothbrush in a thin package it is necessary that the toothbrush has a relatively flat shape when packed therein.

The object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a brush-like utensil which can be packed in confined spaces and which is also suited for mass production.

The utensil of the present invention comprises a handle portion and a brush portion connected thereto and is characterized in that the handle portion comprises at least two longitudinally extending ribs linked together by means of hinges and of which ribs at least one, although preferably both, is provided with laterally outwardly projecting bristle-like projections which, when the ribs are folded together about the hinges, form a brush-like portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a utensil according to the invention immediately after having been manufactured.

FIG. 2 is a section through the line IIII in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section along the line IIIIII in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the utensil of FIGS. l-3.

FIG. 5 shows in side view the utensil of FIG. 1 when ready for use.

FIG. 6 is a cross section view through the line VI-VI in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a section through the line VII--VII in FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 illustrates the utensil of FIGS. 1-7 when packed.

FIG. 9 is a section along the lineIX-IX in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the brush-portion of the utensil illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a section view in enlarged scale of a row of bristles of the brush portion of the embodiment illustrated in the FIG. 10, taken through the line X-X.

FIGS. 12 and 13 are section views in enlarged scale of alternative embodiments of the brush portion of the utensil illustrated in FIG. 10.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS TI-Ie illustrated utensil is preferably manufactured from a plastic material and moulded by injection moulding techniques to the form illustrated in FIGS. l-S. The utensil has a handle portion comprising four ribs 1, 2, 3, 4 of U-shaped cross section. The ribs 1, 2 are connected together by a hinge 5 in the form of a weakened connecting portion located between the outer edges of adjacent longitudinally extending leg members, FIG. 2. The ribs 3 and 4 are connected by a similarly formed hinge 6; ribs 1 and 3 are connected by a hinge 7, and ribs 2 and 4 by a hinge 8. The latter hinge being formed in a manner similar to the hinges 5 and 6, although these only connect the web portions of respective ribs. The leg portions of respective ribs are slotted adjacent the hinges 7 and 8 with a small gap 9 located between the hinges 5 and 6. Bristle-likeprojections 10 and 11 are projected outwardly from the outer side of the free ends of the ribs 1 and 2, the bristle-like projections being in blade-form as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9. In certain cases, the projections can be arranged so that every other projections 10 and 11 are alternately obliquely positioned relative to a mean plane for the rows of projections. An alternative embodiment of the brush portion of the utensil is illustrated in FIGS. 10-13, wherein a row of bristles-l5, 16 similar to the utensil of FIG. 1, project out from the outer sides at the free ends of the. leg members, 1, 2. Each individual bristle has the form of an angled, outwardly tapering blade 17 which terminates in a point 18, FIG. 13. In the embodiment of FIG. 11, which shows a section taken through the line X'X in FIG. 10, the bristles have a saw-tooth profile 19. This embodiment of the brush portion provides a more stable and less resilient bristle and provides a brush with an increased, brushing and cleaning effect for those in stances when a stiffer and less resilient bristle is desired.

It is also possible with this embodiment to vary the positions of the two rows of bristles l5, 16 with respect to each other, for example as illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. This alternative feature will be described in more detail below.

When the utensil is to be used, it is folded around the hinges 5 and 6 so that the leg members of the ribs abut each other, as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. The projections 10 and 11 together form two adjacent rows of bristles and the ribs 1, 2, 3, 4 form a handle portion which is highly resistant to bending. In certain cases it may be suitable to form the outer leg members of the ribs which meet when the ribs are folded in a manner whereby they are locked in position by hook means or the like, so that leg members are retained by the ribs in the folded position (FIG. 5).

When folding a utensil having a brush of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, the rows of bristles will be positioned in relation to each other as shown in the two alternatives illustrated in FIGS. 12 and 13. In the embodiment of FIG. 12 the inclination of the brush is such that the two rows of bristles 15, 16, subsequent to folding the utensil, lie with substantially narrow and flat bristle edges 20 against each other. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 13, the back-ridge edges of the rows of bristles are substantially parallel with the symetrical plane of'the folded brush. The bristle edges thus diverge from withinand outwardly and the bristle points 18 lie at a certain distanceapart. By initially shaping the individual bristles and by giving them a certain pattern of orientation with respect to each other, so as to provide for a desired cleaning and brushing effect, from the very beginning of the manufacturing process, it is relatively simple to give the bristles the degree of hardness required for a particular purpose.

, For the purpose of packaging the described utensil in packages suitable for vending machines, e.g., in the form of edge-sealed bubble orblister containers, the ribs 3, 4 are folded when. the utensil is in the form shown in FIG. 1 around the hinges 7, 8 so that the web portions of the ribs abut each other, as illustrated in FIG. 8. As previously mentioned, the package may be in the form of a bubble package comprising two sheets of plastic material l2, l3 welded together about the utensil along the edges to form a frame 14. The bristlelike projections 10, 11 may suitably be coated with toothpaste, whereby the disposable utensil is ready for immediate use. The chamber enclosed in the package 7 may also be filled with a mouthwash or an extra compartment may be provided for such. When it is desired to use the utensil, the package is opened and the brush removed, whereafter the ribs 3, 4 are folded out to the position shown in FIGS. 1-4. The ribs 1, 2, 3, 4 are then folded together around the hinges 5, 6 in a manner whereby the device obtains the form illustrated in FIG. 5.

Although the invention has been described with reference to a number of different embodiments thereof it will be understood that it is not necessarily restricted to these embodiments, but may also be used in connection with combs and the like and with brushes intended for other purposes than dental hygiene.

Obviously, the embodiments shown are exemplary only and a wide variety of embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A brush-like plastic cleaning utensil having a bandle portion and brush portion moulded in one piece, wherein said handle portioncomprises at least two pair of longitudinally extending ribs, longitudinally extending hingemeans holding the ribs in each pair together, hinge means connecting said pairs of ribs at adjacent end surfaces of said ribs, each of said hinges means being integral with said ribs, and said brush portion comprising laterally outwardly extending, bristle-like projections at the end of each one of said ribs in one of said pair, whereby said pairs of ribs can be brought into abutment with each other in a folded position by rotation about the hinge means at the adjacent end surfaces of said ribs and the ribs in each pair in the extended position can be brought into abutment by rotation about said longitudinally extending hinge means.

2. A utensil according to claim 1, including means for maintaining said utensil in folded positions.

3. A utensil according to claim 1, wherein said bristle-like projections have a substantially triangular blade shape and the outer point of each projection is agtiallytwo row ,of bri en said utensi lS rea y 

1. A brush-like plastic cleaning utensil having a handle portion and brush portion moulded in one piece, wherein said handle portion comprises at least two pair of longitudinally extending ribs, longitudinally extending hinge means holding the ribs in each pair together, hinge means connecting said pairs of ribs at adjacent end surfaces of said ribs, each of said hinges means being integral with said ribs, and said brush portion comprising laterally outwardly extending bristle-like projections at the end of each one of said ribs in one of said pair, whereby said pairs of ribs can be brought into abutment with each other in a folded position by rotation about the hinge means at the adjacent end surfaces of said ribs and the ribs in each pair in the extended position can be brought into abutment by rotation about said longitudinally extending hinge means.
 2. A utensil according to claim 1, including means for maintaining said utensil in folded positions.
 3. A utensil according to claim 1, wherein said bristle-like projections have a substantially triangular blade shape and the outer point of each projection is rounded.
 4. A utensil according to claim 1, wherein said bristle-like projections form substantially two rows of bristles lying adjacent each other when said utensil is ready for use.
 5. A utensil according to claim 1, wherein said outwardly projecting bristle-like members have the form of angled blades that taper outwardly and terminate in a point.
 6. A utensil according to claim 5, wherein said bristle-like projections are arranged in relation to each other whereby, subsequent to folding the utensil, the points of the bristle-like sections are positioned in a certain spaced relationship with respect to each other. 